SNARKY PUPPY!!!
by John on 4/8/23TempleLive Cleveland Masonic - ClevelandRating: 5 out of 5An amazing and unique performance!!! I cant believe their American audience isn't 10 times greater than it is. They consistently sell out around the world.

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Snarky Puppy on Tour
With a jazz-minded head and a jam-band heart, Snarky Puppy are the ultimate live act. A collective of 40-odd rotating members who typically play shows in groups of 10 to 20, they frequently play with guests ranging from David Crosby to Charlie Hunter to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Led by bassist and composer Michael League, this rogues' gallery of instrumental misfits stir up all sorts of styles — rock, jazz, funk, R&B, Afrobeat, fusion and various world strains — into one big roiling pot of groove. Snarky Puppy have been playing together in various iterations since 2004, and live recordings of their countless club shows, festival stops and concert hall gigs are feverishly collected by fans with good reason. No two concerts are alike, thanks not only to an ever-shifting lineup but also to a healthy dose of improvisation. When they have the space to stretch out, Snarky Puppy can easily go a couple of hours onstage, playing songs from their 10-plus official albums plus plenty of imagination-infused, on-the-spot riffing.
Snarky Puppy in Concert
Though Snarky Puppy are based in Brooklyn, Michael League founded the group in Denton, Texas, under ironic circumstances considering the group's runaway success. As a freshman jazz major at the University of North Texas in 2004, he wasn't good enough to place in any school ensembles. Starting his own band was a way to play the music he'd loved since his teenage years. And since then, Snarky Puppy have not only become a legendary live band, but won three Grammys: Best R&B Performance for their Lalah Hathaway–sung cover of "Something" (on 2013's Family Dinner, Vol. 1), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for both 2015's Sylva (with the Dutch Metropole Orkest) and 2016's Culcha Vulcha. The group's unwieldy roster happened by accident. In Snarky Puppy's early days, members couldn't afford to turn down gigs with bigger touring artists, so League would bring in pinch players, train them and put them on the road. But between the bonds formed and knowledge acquired, it seemed a waste to kick them out afterward. Hence, "The Fam," as they're called, grew and grew, from Snarky Puppy's self-released debut, 2005's Live at Uncommon Ground, through League's move to New York, and on to albums like 2019's Immigrance, which leans deeply into the members' multicultural backgrounds to arrive at a sound that's continually new and evolving.
Over the course of their career, Snarky Puppy have brought many venues to capacity, like Warner Theatre (Washington, D.C.) and the Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles).
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An amazing and unique performance!!! I cant believe their American audience isn't 10 times greater than it is. They consistently sell out around the world.
Transformative, incredible show we will all remember for years to come.
I wrote a review but typed a name wrong. I typed Rodney when I meant to type Rodner. So it was either auto-corrected or I typed it wrong, since my best friend in high school was Rod. I don't know the answer, but I could not find a way to edit once it posted.
Opening up was super-talented C4 Trio, although this night it turned into C4 Quartet when they were joined by Michael League himself filling in on bass for Rodney Padilla who had an unfortunate accident resulting in a broken arm or something...sorry for Rodney but, once in a lifetime man! So starts off awesome and then proceeds to get even better. Such great performances by each and every one of these virtuoso players. Just amazing. Then after the encore, they are joined by two incredible percussionists , Weedie Braimah and Jamie Haddad, (who lives around here, close to my drummer, Jeff Denney I think, out toward Sandusky), anyway, then the finale was really invigorating to say the least! Thunderworks on stun! Also shout out to the sound-crew who did an awesome job wrestling (victoriously) with the stubborn low-mids of the 100 yr. old auditorium which could benefit from some analysis and subsequent bass traps, just sayin'... a little high-pass please! :) But that wouldn't keep me from seeing another show here. Every seat has a great view, Ambience is good, service was great and the show....I will remember for a long time. So good. Even got an autographed hat from one of my favorite bass players! and the rain stopped by the time we got out for the walk back to the car... et voila!
Great concert. Chill vibe. Everyone was there to enjoy the music. The group gave a great performance.
I am certain this was the best concert I've ever been to. Their musicianship is phenomenal
The venue was terrific, efficient and friendly. The band was outstanding! Great time!
Venue.....Excellent......Sound......Excellent......Performance.....Outstanding!!! Great show!
Snarky puppy is a different breed of musicians! Super vibing, talented and gifted and top quality music and showmanship! They selected a top rate opening act also
Opening act C4 Trio was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. I was blown away by the talented trio of cuatro guitar players as well as their bass player. Their obvious joy of performing earned them a new fan in me. I already knew Snarky Puppy wouldn’t disappoint and they did not. From the opening notes to the final one their groove never let up. As a musician myself, I am jealous of the outstanding abilities of these young players. I can’t imagine how much hard work and practice goes into being such a tight-knit band but still loose and funky all at the same time. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I see either of these two groups. What an awesome show!
Great show we had a great time and the opening act was equally great
This was one of the most exciting events I have ever been too. Music was spectacular. The opening band knocked it out. Two fabulous bands at one event. It just cannot get any better than this. I will cherish and remember this moment for all time. Thank you
Friendly and personable, yet very professional, hospitable and welcoming at the meet and greet tables following the concert, energetic and enjoyable warm up band - C4 Trio, music was awesome, soloists out of sight, appealed to all ages, would attend another concert and recommend them to friends. Security team was friendly and helpful. Box office quickly resolved a ticket problem I had. Had trouble seeing the band due to the mosh pit. Snarky Puppy deserves to be a householdname
From the opening act, C4 Trio, to the final song by Snarky Puppy, this concert was a huge success. Snarky Puppy shared the music from their latest album, highlighting the talent of each band member in amazing ways. The acoustics and the crowd at the State Theater only made the experience all the better.
These guys never fail to impress! I saw them at the Riviera in Chicago then at the Hard Rock in Gary. The shows were different but excellent. They are moving the boundaries of what is considered jazz, jazz fusion and funk. Truly inspiring that they are so popular.
The band performance far exceeded my expectations. The sound setup was spot on!
The Hard Rock venue had easy parking, good acoustics, and not a bad seat in the house. Drinks were pricy, but to be expected nowadays at concerts. The C4 Trio were a pleasant surprise. Almost had a Venezuelan flavored bluegrass-like vibe. Very proficient musicianship. Snarky were great as always. Michael and company seem to get better every year. A really funky, tight, fun and progressive show. Enjoyed it a lot.
I was introduced to Snarky Puppy by a friend just before the pandemic. Picked up some of their music and I was upset I hadn't heard about them sooner. They have quickly become my favorite band great performances, songs and passion. This was my second time seeing them live it was an awesome show just wish they had played longer.
We were very pleased with Snarkey Puppy's performance with many gifted musicians playing an interesting mix of Jazz/Rock/and Funk. The warm up group was also very entertaining with a pure Venezuelan output of folk music from four outstanding performers.
I thought Snarky Puppy was great. This was a different type of music that I really enjoyed. The atmosphere was amazing. So glad I got tickets. Will definitely go see them again.